title: Prevention of disability: the opinion of claimants applying for a disability benefit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A great number of workers suffer from problems to continue their work due to chronic health conditions. This leads to a large number of workers applying for a disability benefit. In order to prevent the application of a disability benefit, insight in the background of these applicants is needed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the expectations of Dutch claimants applying for a disability benefit, the rationale behind these expectations and the value of these expectations in the process of evaluating disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Applicants for a disability benefit were invited to participate in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Claimants for a disability benefit filled out an internet questionnaire. The questions focused on the expectation of being granted a disability benefit and the rationale behind these expectations. Additionally, data on claimants' characteristics and responses to the first question of the Work Ability Index (WAI) were collected. The actual outcome of the application for a disability benefit was also recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 206 claimants, 84% expected to receive a disability benefit, while 72% of the claims were assigned. Low education level, higher age and a low WAI score were correlated with the expectation of receiving a benefit. The combination of a low WAI score and expectation of a disability benefit actually predicted the outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients are capable of predicting the outcome of their application for a disability benefit. Application for a disability benefit could be prevented if information on the WAI score and the expectation of a disability benefit is known at an earlier stage of the sickness absence process.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Insurance Medicine AMC-UMCG-UWV-VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Haije
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wind
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Insurance Medicine AMC-UMCG-UWV-VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Samoocha
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Insurance Medicine AMC-UMCG-UWV-VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Allard J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van der Beek
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Insurance Medicine AMC-UMCG-UWV-VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Monique H W
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Frings-Dresen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Secondary prevention; Work Ability Index; disability assessment; internet questionnaire